1,300 Pomodoros: Humility, Gratitude, Motivation
Published on 02 Oct 2017
by Alexander Garber
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| 650 hours very well spent, but hardly an excuse to rest on my laurels. |
Humility: Knowing Your Place
As a junior developer, all my considerations start from recognising the humbling fact that my company does not need me, yet.
So far, time and money spent on me have not profited the company.
As things stand, the company would be better off without me.
So far, time and money spent on me have not profited the company.
As things stand, the company would be better off without me.
If I do not significantly improve over the coming weeks and months, the case for terminating my position at the company will consolidate; reasons to keep me, evaporate.
Gratitude: Accepting Responsibility
In light of these discomfiting understandings, it is clear that a great responsibility is placed on my shoulders. In spite of my limitations, my boss sees potential in me, and has already gambled a substantial amount of time
and money on helping me get to my present position. Even if I can't see how I am to cross over into profitable productivity, he can, and because I trust and respect his judgement, the onus is on me to find a way to come good.
The way I look at my internship is that the company — without really needing to do so — is giving me a gilt-edged chance to build a compelling business case for hiring me. I have access to the code base, I can ask for help, I
have an excellent Linux-based System 76 laptop, and most importantly, I have a generous allotment of goodwill and trust.
Motivation: Hunger and Hope
So what does this mean for me in practice? It means staying hungry and hopeful.
It means getting up every morning with a strong determination to do my best right now, for the next twenty-one minutes, and the next twenty-one minutes, and the next, until the end of the day.
It means poring over every detail of my assigned task, taking notes, searching for key terms in the code, reading and re-reading the manual.
It means making sure I've done everything I can and have the best possible understanding of the matter before contacting a senior developer, and then asking the most specific, intelligent question I can put together.
It means overcoming the fear and frustration, the anger and anxiety, of not knowing the answer, day in, day out.
It means being honest with myself and making available a regular feed of how I'm getting along; not a sugar-coated status update, but an unobtrusive stream of reports by means of which those above me can realistically appraise my progress.
It means reminding myself of where I started and where I want to be.
And finally, it means that as long as I am in the game, I have everything to play for.
It means making sure I've done everything I can and have the best possible understanding of the matter before contacting a senior developer, and then asking the most specific, intelligent question I can put together.
It means overcoming the fear and frustration, the anger and anxiety, of not knowing the answer, day in, day out.
It means being honest with myself and making available a regular feed of how I'm getting along; not a sugar-coated status update, but an unobtrusive stream of reports by means of which those above me can realistically appraise my progress.
It means reminding myself of where I started and where I want to be.
And finally, it means that as long as I am in the game, I have everything to play for.